Steel floor construction



Aug. 30, 1938. F. LIENHARD STEEL FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed March 20, 1937ll ll llllmllm INVENTOR l l I I I I I flew-War A/flwmm zIIIIHIHIm I IIPatented Aug; 30, 1938 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Frederick Lienhard,New York, N. Y. Application March 20, 1937, Serial No. 131,985

9 Claims.

This invention relates generally to steel floor constructions. Moreparticularly, it relates tothe type of assembled steel floorconstructions known as open gratings and adapted to be used as flooringfor bridges and the like.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a steel floorconstruction, of the character described, which shall compriserelatively few and simple parts, which shall be easy to assem-* m ble,and in which the saidparts are so standardized that large quantities maybe manufactured at a minimum cost; and stocked to be subsequentlyassembled and used for any size or type of steel flooring desired,depending upon the actual conditions. e

Another object of my invention is to provide a steel floor constructionof the character described, comprising a plurality of assembled steelbars forming a grating having a plurality of equal rectangular surfaceopenings in which said steel bars are all of the'same uniform thicknessto af- Still another object of my invention is to provide a steel floorconstruction of the character described in which the open rectangularspaces of the surface thereof may be varied in size without varying theconstruction of the individual steel bars and without weakening theentire assembly.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements,

5 and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the constructionhereinafter described, and of which the scope of applicationwill beindicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is 40 shown one of the variouspossible embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled steel floor constructionembodying my invention;

45 Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of .one of the series ofm'ain steel bar members illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the second series ofsteel bar members illus 50 trated in Fig. l; and

' Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the third series ofsteel bar members illustrated in Fig.1.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, there is disclosed in Fig. 1 anassembled metal open sired in the top surface of the grating.

grating adapted for use as flooring for bridges and the like andconstructed in accordance with my invention. The assembled gratingcomprises a series of parallel main bars Ill, ll, I2 and I3, disposed inpredetermined spaced relationship to 5 each other and which may be aidedin load distribution by a distributor bar l5 of any desired strength,depending upon the particular needs of the proposed construction. Eachof the main bars Ill to 13 are provided with a, plurality of 10substantially rectangular shaped openings I6 with the longer sides ofthe rectangles disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the saidmain bars. The openings l6 are spaced from each other a uniformpredetermined distance depend- 16 ing upon the ultimate size of therectangles de- The openings E are designed to permit the insertiontherein a d the proper positioning of two cross 7 bars 20, each of whichis provided at the upper 20 end thereof with a plurality of uniformlyspaced ford an even riding surface for vehicular trafnotches 2| ofuniform width and depth, for reasons which will soon become apparent.

It is noted that the openings I6 are provided with notches 22 atopposite corners of the bottom 25.

wall thereof. These notches are designed to fa-- cilitate the insertionand proper upright positioning of the members 20in the openings Hi. Theopenings is are made of suflicient size so that the members 20 may be'inserted there- 30 through in a fiatwise direction and then turnedupwardly so that one of the notches 2! will straddle the portion of thebar I0 above the openings iii and thus permit the member 20 to bepositioned in the notch 22' d stand in a vertical direction contacting te end walls I60. of "the openings l6. When e cross bars 20 are thusinserted in the openi gs It, the top edges thereof will be flush withthe top edges of the main I bars to it. The openings l6 are designed to40 accommodate two of the members 20 at opposite ends thereof so thatthe distance between the openings l 6 will be large enough to preventweakening of the main bars. If the openings l6 were of such size as topermit the insertion and accommodation of only one of the members 20therein, it is clear that in the event an open grate construction wasdesired in which the rectangular openings at the top thereof were ofvery small size; there would be insumcient metal between the openings IEto give suflicient strength to the assembled structure. After the mainbars ill to l3 have been suitably spaced from each other in accordancewith the needs of the particular construction, and Ii two transverse orcross bars 20 are inserted through each of the openings l6 and rotatedto proper vertical position, the remaining notches 2| in the bars 20 maybe filled by a third series of bars 30 of a depth equal to the depth ofthe notches 2| and disposed parallel to the main bars III to IE! to forman assembled open grating having a plurality of rectangular openings atthe top surface thereof. After the members have been assembled as abovedescribed, the entire construction may be welded together to maintainthe different parts in position.

By arranging the notches 2| in the cross bars 20 equidistant from eachother and making them ali of the same size, it is possible to adjustablyspace the main bars I to 53 from each other, in order to fit anyparticular constructional needs. Thus, for example, as shown in Fig. 1,the main bar H is spaced from the main bar I0 so that there are threeintermediate notches 2|, in the cross bars 20 which receive therein thebars 30. If desired, the main bar I! may be spaced from the main bar IIto accommodate only two bars 30 therebetween; whereas, the main bar l3may be spaced from the main bar l2 to accommodate only one bar 30therebetween. Also, by the above described construction, it is seen thata main bar, such as "I, may be placed near the edge of any desired opengrating and maintain the full strength of the grating right up to theedge because it can be placed suiiiciently near to the adjacent main barI I. In other words, the assembled grating constructed in accordancewith my invention achieves a uniform strength throughout its width.

It is noted that the three types of bars, I0, 20 and 30 may be made ofuniform width to provide a uniform riding surface for vehicular trafiic.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved, and which is welladapted to meet the conditions of practical use:

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A grating of the character described formed of a plurality of seriesof bars extending in intersecting relation, the-bars of one series beingprovided with a plurality of uniformly spaced and equal sized openings,two bars of a second of said series of bars-being inserted through eachof said openings, the bars of said second series being wider than theheight of said openings and provided with a plurality of uniformlyspaced equal notches extending downwardly from the upper edges thereofto permit the upright positioning of said second series of bars in saidopenings, and at least one bar of a third series of bars disposedparallel to and between each pair of adjacently disposed bars of saidfirst named series of bars.

2. A grating of the character described formed of a plurality of seriesof bars extending in intersecting relation, the bars of one series beingprovided with a plurality of uniformly spaced and equal sized openings,two bars of a second of said series of bars being inserted through eachof said openings, the bars of said second series being wider than theheight of said openings and provided with a pluralityof uniformly spacedequal notches extending downwardly from the upper edges thereof topermit the upright positioning of said second series of bars in saidopenings, said openings being provided with notches at opposite cornersof the bottom wall thereof to facilitate the upright positioning and themaintenance in such position of said last named bars, and at least onebar of a third series of bars disposed parallel to and between each pairof adjacently disposed bars of said first named series of bars.

3. A grating of the character described formed of a plurality of seriesof bars extending in intersecting relation, the bars of one series beingprovided with a plurality of uniformly spaced and equal sized openings,a bar of a second of said series of bars being inserted through each ofsaid openings, the bars of said second series being provided with aplurality of uniformly spaced equal notches extending downwardly fromthe upper edges thereof, and a third series of bars disposed parallel tothe bars of said first series and received in said notches, whereby toform a' grating having a plurality of uniform rectangular shaped openspaces of a size equal in one direction to the distance between twoadjacent bars of the second series of other direction between twoadjacent bars of the first series of bars.

4. A grating of the character described formed of a plurality of seriesof bars extending in intersecting relation, the bars ofv one seriesbeing provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced and equal sizedopenings, two bars of a second of said series of bars being insertedthrough each of said openings, the bars of said second series beingwider than the height of said openings and provided with a plurality ofuniformly spaced equal notches extending downwardly from the upper edgesthereof to permit the upright positioning of said second series of barsin said openings, said openings ing rectangular in shape and disposedwith their anger sides parallel to the iongitudinal axis of the bars ofsaid first series, said notches of said second series bars being soconstructed and arranged whereby at least one notch of each bar of saidsecond series of bars will be disposed between each pair of bars of thesaid first series of bars, and bars of a third series of bars parallelto the bars of said first series of bars and received in the notches ofsaid second series of ars. ,1

5. A grating oi the character described formed of a plurality of seriesof bars extending in intersecting relation, the bars of one series beingprovided with a plurality of uniformly. spaced and equal sized openings,two bars of a second of said series of bars being inserted through eachof said openings, the bars of said second series being wider than theheight of said openings and provided with a plurality of uniformlyspaced equal notches extending downwardly from the upper edges thereofto permit the upright'positioning of said second series of bars in saidopenings, said notches being vertically disposed an at right angles tothe longitudinal axis of s (1 second series bars, and at least one barof a third series of bars parallel to the bars of said first series andreceived in the corresponding notches of the said bars of said secondseries.

6. A grating of the character described formed of a plurality of seriesof bars extending in intersecting relation, the bars of one series beingprovided with a plurality of uniformly spaced and equal sized openings,two bars of a second of said series of bars being inserted through eachof said ars and less than the distance in the openings, the bars of saidsecond series being wider than the height of said openings and providedwith a plurality of uniformly spaced equal notches extending downwardlyfrom the upper edges thereof to permit the upright positioning of saidsecond series of bars in said openings, said openings being rectangularin shape and disposed with their long'er sides parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the bars of said first series, and adapted to formargrating assembly in which the upper surface thereof constitutes aplurality of open spaces rectangular in shape and of uniform size, saidnotches of said second series bars being so constructed and arrangedwhereby at least one notch of each bar of said second series of barswill be disposed between each pair of bars of the said first series ofbars.

7. A grating of the character described formed of a plurality of seriesof bars extending in intersecting relation, the bars of one series beingprovided with a plurality of uniformly spaced and equal sized openings,at least one bar of a second of said series of bars being insertedthrough each of said openings, the bars of said second series beingwider than the height of said openings and provided with a plurality ofuniformly spaced equalnotches extending downwardly from the upper edgesthereof to permit the upright positioning of said second series of barsin said openings, and bars of a third series received in the notches ofthe said second series bars disposed between said first series bars,whereby to form a in the same plane and in which the upper surfacethereof constitutes a plurality of open spaces rectangular in shape andof uniform size, said size being equal in one direction to the distancebetween two adjacent cross bars and in the other direction less than thedistance between two main bars.

9. A metal grating assembly adapted to beused as flooring for bridgesand the like formed of a plurality of series of bars extending inintersecting relation, certain of the bars of said first series of barsbeing unequally spaced from each other, all of the bars of said firstseries being provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced and equalsized rectangular openings, two bars of a second series of bars beinginserted through each of said openings, said second series bars beingwider than the height 'of said openings and provided with a plurality ofuniformly spaced notches extending downwardly from the upper edgesthereof to permit upright positioning of said second series of bars insaid openings, and a third series of bars parallel to said first seriesof bars and received in the notches of said second series of barswhereby to form a grating assembly in which the upper surface thereofconstitutes a plurality of open spaces of uniform shape and sizeirrespective of the spacing between the bars of said first series ofbars.

FREDERICK LIENHARD.

